About this hotel
General information
Phinda Mountain sits on a hilltop in the south of Phinda Private Game Reserve, its verandas looking out across the bushveld to the Lebombo foothills. It is the most family-minded of the &Beyond lodges at Phinda: among its 23 units are three Family Cottages and a generous Family Suite, families are given their own guides, and younger guests have the WILDchild programme. In all, the lodge takes up to 50 guests.
The architecture draws on Zulu forms, with natural materials, raised walkways, floor-to-ceiling glass and open-plan living spaces that tie the interiors to the landscape without giving up privacy. The reserve itself, 29,866 hectares across seven distinct habitats, was created in 1991 on former pineapple and cattle farmland that has gradually been returned to the wild; Phinda means “the return” in Zulu. The Big Five are all here, though Phinda is best known for its cheetah and black rhino, while the sand forest shelters the tiny suni and red duiker antelope.
Location
The lodge stands on a hill in the south of Phinda Private Game Reserve, in Zululand in northern KwaZulu-Natal, facing the Lebombo foothills. Federal Air runs daily scheduled flights to the reserve’s airstrip from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, which Airlink serves daily from Johannesburg, and private charters can be arranged from anywhere in South Africa; transfers between the airstrip and the lodge are included. Alternatively, fly to Richards Bay for a scheduled road transfer of about two hours, or to Durban for one of about three and a half; the drive from Johannesburg takes around seven hours.
Spa
A small wellness centre pairs an open-air massage sala, where treatments use natural Healing Earth products, with a well-equipped gym looking out over the reserve; massages can also be given in the room.
Sports & leisure
Game drives in open vehicles, with no more than six guests to a vehicle, set out twice a day, early in the morning and late in the afternoon, carrying on after dark; one-hour nature walks with a guide and tracker and a visit to community projects near the reserve are also included. At additional cost the reserve offers:
- big game walks, specialist walking safaris and black rhino tracking on foot;
- birding safaris (more than 400 species are recorded at Phinda), photographic safaris with an equipped vehicle and private drives with a dedicated guide;
- hands-on conservation experiences: rhino notching, pangolin monitoring and elephant collaring;
- e-bike rides through the sand forest on four routes of 5–22 km (from 12 years) and boat trips on the Mzinene River;
- a night’s sleepout under the stars and bush dinners;
- ocean safaris for dolphins and, in season, humpback whales, scuba diving on the Sodwana Bay reefs, a half-day on the Maputaland beaches and seasonal night outings to see leatherback and loggerhead turtles nesting;
- visits to a Zulu village.
The lodge has a Wi-Fi-equipped meeting room for 8–12 people and a Safari Shop selling handwoven Zulu baskets and beaded jewellery, and it hosts weddings and blessings.
For children
The WILDchild programme is for children aged 3–12: each child receives a backpack of age-appropriate goodies, and seasonal activities, supervised by guides and lodge staff, include bark rubbing, bug collecting, frog safaris, “poo walks” reading animal tracks and droppings, and baking with the chef. There is a kids’ lounge stocked with games and a children’s menu, childminding is available at additional cost, and family safaris can be arranged.
Restaurants & bars
Breakfast and lunch are served at the lodge, with high tea in the afternoon, and evenings end around the fire, either on the lodge deck or in the traditional boma, an open-air enclosure built around a fire, over pan-African dishes. There is a bar, a wine cellar, an interactive kitchen with a pizza oven, butler service and private dining; kosher and halal meals can be prepared at additional cost with at least four weeks’ notice. Three meals a day, soft drinks, house wines, local spirits and beers, tea and coffee, and drinks and snacks on game drives are included in the stay.
Swimming
The main lodge has a rim-flow pool on a deck overlooking the reserve, and every Suite and Cottage has its own plunge pool on the veranda. The Family Suite has no private pool, but its veranda opens straight onto the lodge pool.
Rooms
The 23 air-conditioned units follow a gentle curve along the hillside, about 15 m apart: 16 standalone mountain-view Suites, six semi-detached Cottages (paired to make three Family Cottages) and a single Family Suite. Interiors bring together earthy textures, subtle Zulu touches, large windows and wide verandas facing the bush.
Air conditioning and heating, ceiling fans, a stocked personal bar and coffee station, a bath, indoor and outdoor showers, a separate WC, telephone, safe, hairdryer, Wi-Fi and a pair of SWAROVSKI OPTIK binoculars per room.
Family Suite
Two adult bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms (indoor and outdoor showers) and two interleading children’s rooms around a shared lounge; the veranda has a daybed and leads directly to the lodge pool, as there is no private pool. Sleeps up to four adults and four children, and comes with a private vehicle, guide and tracker for the whole stay.
Family Cottage
Two 65 m² Cottages joined by an interleading door, each with its own bedroom, a bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, and a veranda with a plunge pool. Sleeps two adults and two children (a third child on request), with a private vehicle and guide included.
Suite
A standalone unit with expansive glass facing the reserve: a bedroom with a double or twin set-up (the twin beds share one frame), a sitting area with a personal bar, and a bathroom with the same view, a freestanding bath and indoor and outdoor showers. The decked veranda has a daybed and a private rim-flow plunge pool; sleeps up to two.
Cottage
A more compact semi-detached unit set a little closer to its neighbours: a bedroom with a double or twin set-up (the twin beds share one frame), a lounge with a personal bar, a bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, and a spacious veranda with a daybed and private plunge pool. Sleeps up to two.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.